The Uni Life
Watching 'Van Wilder: Party Liason' the other night, and I once again lament the fact that I did not stay within a college at uni.
Granted, I am sure that my college life would have been a lot tamer than the one depicted in the movie (much like how in 'Boston Public ', more things happen in one episode than did happen in my whole high school life), but that sense of friendship, of growing up together in those formative years would have, I believe, been quite the same.
Having stayed home (at West Pennant Hills) instead of staying at UNSW, and using public transport, meant that I was unable to participate in a lot of activities that required post-7pm attendance. Things like uni sports, uni events, uni clubs that would improve your "uni experience" fell by the wayside. As Van puts it, "I've bled, crimson and blue for this uni....it's given me so much". Sometimes I wish I had that feeling for UNSW.
There is another possibility, that I just wasn't that keen on it. I stayed near the uni when I went on exchange to Sweden, and I didn't feel like I really got involved in that uni either. Of course, the -40 degree temperatures did not assist in any evening activities (well, maybe the "activitiez", but I didn't partake in those ones, to my eternal regret :)). It could be that my attitude was wrong, that I wasn't willing to come out of comfort zone and go bananas. Life's too short to hold back.
Solemn promise: if I ever do one of those full-time MBAs in a uni (most likely overseas), I'm going to make that uni home. And get myself one of those golf buggies like Van :)
Damn! five cheap calls already:
The golf buggy is essential! In the movie, living on campus was a completely different lifestyle. What experiences do you feel you missed out on at uni? Surely if you wanted it enough you would have joined the sports clubs etc anyway? Or are you simply looking back at the past with a different perspective now?It is always easier to regret the things you haven't done as opposed to those things you have done.....Write that down :)
Taipan (email) - 25 January '05 - 05:38
Maate, I regret it too. I'll have another crack within the next couple of years :)
PeeDz - 25 January '05 - 15:29
JB, there's an easier way mate, mandarin school in China. You live right on campus, it doesn't cost a small fortune like a MBA, and there's loads of Korean + Japanese + other international chicks around...
Taipan: I live my life by a similar saying: It's better to regret the things you have done than the things you have not. Kinda puts more a more "action oriented" feel into it I think ...?
al - 25 January '05 - 23:08
Both Taipan and Al make good points; action oriented is the catch-cry here.
Eternal regret? Wow...that's some serious regret
One thing to remember though; Van spent 7 years on campus to get to the stage he was in. Time and effort reaps serious rewards~
ricegrains (link) - 27 January '05 - 05:50
*shrug* living on campus in Australia is no big deal, compared to the US. It's actually quite seperate from the uni itself, except for the fact that your nearest watering hole happens to be the unibar.
Anyway, I don't have any good feelings towards UNSW. In fact, I often badmouth the place, when I'm not too ashamed to admit I spent four years of the prime of my life there. I'll never make an alumni donation, no matter how rich I become.
I think alumni donations say a lot about a university. You just need to check out the facilities at Stanford to realise why it is in the best interests of the uni to try and make the uni experience a memorable one for the student. Not treat them with contempt, as UNSW did.
At least I made a couple of good friends there.
(no, not you guys)
RC
randomcow - 27 January '05 - 07:18
